Compasses



May 14, 1963 H. RIEPE 3,089,246

COMPASSES Filed Dec. 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V EN TOR 1622/70/79P/EPE H. RIEPE COMPASSES May 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12,1960 FIG. 3

(llllllllllllln /6 United States Patent 3,089,246 COMPASSES HelmuthRiepe, Hamburg, Germany, assign'or to L. & C. Hardtmuth, Inc.,Bloomsbury, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 12, 1960, Ser.No. 75,369 1 Claim. (Cl. 33-27) This invention broadly relates tocompasses, and particularly to such devices adapted to removably receivefluid-holding writing implements.

One of the objects of this invention is a compass structure havingprovision of exchangeably holding a fluid-dispensing writing implement,such as an implement containing India ink, and which implement isintended to draw lines of uniform thickness or width, while held in andwhile being operated by the movement of the compass structure.

Another object of the present invention is a compass structure of thetype stated, and which structure is adapted to provide the widestpossible adjustment for drawing circles of varying radii and of uniformline thickness.

The foregoing and other objects and additional advantages of the presentinvention will be more fully understood from the ensuing description ofthe accompanying drawings, the latter serving for explanatory purposesonly and are not intended to in any extent limit this invention, and inwhich drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a bow compass provided with a removablymounted fluid-dispensing writing implement;

FIG. 2 is a partial end view of FIG. 1 as seen in the direction of arrowII;

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevation of a modified structure of theleft-hand arm of the compass for accommodating a fluid-dispensingwriting implement;

FIG. 4 is a partial end view of FIG. 3, partly in section, as seen inthe direction of arrow IV;

FIG. 5 is an end view, partly in section, of a modified structuresimilar to that shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 illustrates adjustable extension means provided with thestructure seen in FIG. 5.

In all of the structural examples illustrated, leg 1 of the compass,which leg may be termed the mobile leg, has its lower portion formedinto a two-pronged fork 2. Between the ends of the two fork prongs thereis rotatably lodged a receptacle body 3 having a central, internallythreaded aperture or eye for removably holding a writing implement. Body3 is substantially square or otherwise parallelogrammatic in shape andis adjustable within the fork 2, and can be held in any adjustedposition by knurled clamping nut 4.

As seen in FIG. 2 the internal thread 5 in the receptacle body 3removably receives the threaded portion 5 of head 6 of afluid-dispensing writing implement W. From the threaded lower end 5 ofhead 6 extends nib 7 holding a fluid-dispensing tube 8. The fluid, suchas India ink, passes through nib 7 and tube 8 against the drawingsurface S. The writing fluid is preferably held in an exchangeablecartridge 9.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the spacing and the length of the prongs offork 2 are such as to permit writing implement W, including itscartridge 9, to assume any desired position within the fork, forinstance a position coaxial with the prongs of the fork, orperpendicular to writing surface S.

The illustrations in FIGS. 1 and 2 denote a bow compass as the simplestexample of a compass structure, which latter is intended to serve forexplanatory purposes only, it being obvious that the present inventionis readily applicable to any other desired compass structure.

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As is evident from the drawings, writing implement W can be caused toassume a position perpendicular to writing surface S, irrespective ofthe spread or the relative position of the two compass legs, so thattube 8, or for that matter any other Writing or drawing element eitherdry or fluid-dispensing, or a marker, employed in a bifurcated compassarm, similar to that of mobile arm 1, can be always positioned fordrawing, tracing or marking purposes for scribing circles, at rightangles to the surface to be used, such positioning being effected, andthe implement held in the required position by means of receptacle body3 and the knurled nut 4, which latter fixates the position of the body3.

Attention is invited to the ready exchangeability of writing implementsin receptacle 3, the interior opening of which is threaded, as at 5 (seeFIG. 2 That internal threading facilitates a quick exchange of writingimplements W, if, for instance, a change in the width of lines definedby tubing 8 is desired, or if a change in color of the dispensed fluidis to be effected. Such exchange is made readily by simply unscrewingone writing implemerit and replacing it by the desired, similarlyconstructed other writing implement fitting into the receptacle body 3.

As will be observed by consulting FIGS. 3 and 4, these illustrations areintended to show that the normal spread of the compass legs can besubstantially increased by 10- cating the pivotal axis for receptaclebody 3 as close as possible to the writing surface S. That is effectedby providing body 3 with a pair of spaced depending, substantiallyparallel extensions 10, and pivotally mounting their lowermost ends bymeans of pins 11 and 11 at the ends of fork 2. The pin 11' is threadedat its outer end and is engaged by knurled clamping nut 4. Pins 11 and11 pass through suitable hearings or apertures provided at the lowerends of the two prongs of fork 2.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 is illustrated a structure for increasing the span ofthe compass without diminishing the possibility of adjusting the writingimplement to be used at a vertical position in respect to the writingsurface, and without curtailing the ready exchangeability of desiredwriting implements.

It will be seen from FIG. 5, that there is again employed a bifurcatedcompass leg 2, and that between the two prongs of the leg is pivotallyand adjustably held internally threaded body 3, similar to that shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. Into the threaded eye or aperture within body 3, there isinserted the smooth, cylindrical end 12 of flanged element 13, itsflange 14 engaging the lower face of body 3. Extending from smooth,cylindrical end 12, which latter obviously only touches the interiordiameter of the thread in body 3, there projects a threaded pin 15adapted to be engaged by clamping nut 16. The latter is adapted to bearagainst washer 17 which engages the upper surface of body 3, as seen inFIG. 5.

Extending from flange 14 of element 13 is an extension tube 18 directedinto a sleeve 19 provided with a clamping screw 20, by means of whichextension tube 18 can be held in adjusted position relative to sleeve19. At the exterior end of tube 19 is provided an internally threadedbody 21, its thread being adapted to receive an exchangeable writingimplement W. Obviously extension tube 18 and sleeve 19 are directedoutwardly and in lefthand direction in respect to bifurcated arm 2 seenin FIGS. 1 and 3.

By means of the aforedescribed extension arrangement a much greater spanin the use of the compass so equipped is achieved, without the loss ofthe required positioning of the writing implement at right angles to thewriting surface.

From the foregoing description of the drawings, which latter serve forexplanatory purposes only, it becomes aoaaaaa evident that particularstress is laid upon some of the features of the present invention, suchas the ready exchangeability of Writing implements in conjunction wtihcompasses; the provision of ready positioning and fixedly holding inadjusted position of a writing implement in a compass, for instance, atright angles to the writing surface; the location of the pivotal andadjusting means for the Writing implement at as short a distance fromthe writing surface as practicable, thus positioning the Writing element(tube 3) .of the writing implement W as close to the writing surface aspossible, which low placement of the adjusting means enhances thespanning distance of the compass legs; and the adjustable extensionmeans for at least one of the compass legs for substantially increasingthe span between the two compass legs, without curtailing thepossibility of ready adjustment and exchange of writing implements.

Having thus explained the salient features of the present invention, itis to be understood that the specific description of the accompanyingdrawings is intended to more graphically explain the present disclosure,and that neither the description nor the drawings are to be consideredat limiting the latter in any sense whatsoever.

What is claimed as new is:

A compass structure having what may be termed fixed and mobile legs, themobile leg having its lower portion formed to provide a two-pronged,substantially Widely spaced fork, a hingedly mounted internally threadedreceptacle bodyfor removably accommodating an exchangeable writingimplement operatively mounted within and at the ends of said fork and atclosest possible proximity to the writing surface to become engaged bythe writing implement, a pair of spaced substantially parallelextensions depending from the internally threaded portions of thereceptacle body, the lowermost ends of said extensions being pivotallymounted at the lowermost ends of said fork, that is at the closetproximity to the writing surface, thus providing adjustability of saidreceptacle body Within said fork, rneans for holding said body inadjusted position, an externally threaded Writing implement, having awriting element, removably associated with said receptacle body so thatthe end of said writing element is located in its operative positionupon a writing surface substantially below the pivotal connectionbetween the lowermost ends or said body extensions and the lowermostends of said fork.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

